A strata garbage room can go from tidy to a mess in days. A full bin, a mattress left by the door and a recycling bin full of pizza boxes all show up as complaints for the council. Most of these problems have a source, and most can be fixed without a large spend. Here is a plan for residents, councils and property managers.
Start with what is going wrong
Walk the room and write down what you see before you change anything. The usual problems are:
- Bins that are full before the next collection
- Recycling mixed with garbage, or garbage in the recycling
- Bulky items left on the floor, such as furniture, mattresses and appliances
- Food scraps in the garbage where the building has an organics program
Pictures help when you talk to the hauler or the City. Note the day of the week and the time when problems peak, such as move out days at the end of the month.
Overflow
If bins are full before collection, the first question is the number and size of containers, and the collection schedule. Service levels depend on who collects at your building, so the person to call is your building's hauler or the City. Ask whether the pickup frequency or the container count can change.
A second cause is trapped recycling and cardboard. A flattened box takes a fraction of the space of a whole one. A reminder on the room door asking residents to break down boxes can free a lot of space.
Contamination
Recycling bins full of the wrong things cause rejected loads and extra cost. Metro Vancouver publishes resources for strata and apartment buildings, and Recycle BC and RCBC provide signage for each material. Put clear signs at each container, with the accepted items shown by picture. Check for the correct signage for your City, since each City collects different materials.
Dumped bulky items
Bulky items in the garbage room are the most common complaint. Metro Vancouver offers an abandoned waste poster for property and strata managers to put up in a building's disposal area. It tells tenants how to dispose of unwanted household items. You can download it from the Metro Vancouver large item and illegal dumping page.
Cities also differ on whether apartments qualify for their large item programs. Burnaby's program allows apartments, condos and townhomes up to 6 items per complex, and the City offers posters and brochures for multi family buildings by phone at 604-294-7972. Richmond's page notes that some residents in condos, apartments and multifamily complexes are exempt from its program, and it directs them to drop off options. Give residents the right local option so they have a clear alternative to leaving things at the door.
When a bin makes sense
Day to day fixes can cut the mess, but a big purge is a different job. If the strata is clearing a storage area, a parkade corner or a pile of abandoned items in one go, a one off bin is a practical tool. A bin comes for a set period, residents load it, and we haul it away. Our post on strata cleanup days and shared bins covers the planning for that kind of day. We deal with one off drop offs, and we suggest a 20-yard bin as the common start. We also have a 15-yard bin, but it is commonly sold out, so ask when you book.
For more on how we work with buildings and businesses, see our commercial services and residential services pages.
FAQ
Who should I call if the garbage room bins overflow every week? Call the hauler or City that services the building and ask whether pickup frequency or the number of containers can change. Regular pickups are uncommon for us and are usually part of a garbage contract, but you can call to ask.
Can apartments use a City large item pickup? It depends on the City. Burnaby allows up to 6 items per complex for apartments, condos and townhomes. Richmond says some multifamily residents are exempt and points them to drop off options.
How do we stop people dumping furniture in the garbage room? Metro Vancouver offers an abandoned waste poster for property and strata managers to post in the disposal area.
Can a strata book a bin for a cleanup? Yes, for a one off cleanup. See our strata cleanup day post for how to plan it.